Vasopressin
Also known as: Vasostrict, ADH, AVP
Vasopressin activates V1a receptors on vascular smooth muscle to cause vasoconstriction and V2 receptors in the renal collecting duct to drive aquaporin-2-mediated water reabsorption, raising blood pressure and concentrating urine.
This page is a structured profile. Narrative evidence, dosing context and FAQs live on the research guide — not duplicated here as a second full article.
- Drug class
- Endogenous nonapeptide hormone; vasopressor / antidiuretic hormone
- Primary targets
- V1a receptor, V2 receptor, V1b (V3) receptor
- Dose reference
- Label reference ranges (not recommendations): post-cardiotomy shock 0.03-0.1 units/min IV; septic shock 0.01-0.07 units/min IV continuous infusion
- Half-life
- Short; apparent half-life roughly 10 minutes or less per the Vasostrict label
- Developer / origin
- Vasostrict product marketed by Par Pharmaceutical; vasopressin first synthesized by Vincent du Vigneaud (1950s)
- Reference year
- 2014
- Evidence score
- 4/5 - Approved drug with strong pharmacologic evidence, modest mortality data
Approved uses
- Vasodilatory shock in adults (e.g., post-cardiotomy or septic shock) who remain hypotensive despite fluids and catecholamines
Approved drug with strong pharmacologic evidence, modest mortality data
Vasopressin (Vasostrict) is FDA-approved as an intravenous vasopressor for vasodilatory shock, backed by a clear FDA label and the randomized VASST trial. The label and pharmacology robustly support its blood-pressure and antidiuretic effects, but VASST did not show a significant overall survival benefit, so hard-outcome evidence is more limited.
Investigational compound with human randomized or phase 2/3 evidence.
Evidence basis
- FDA Vasostrict prescribing information defining the vasodilatory shock indication, IV route and dosing ranges
- VASST randomized controlled trial (n=778, NEJM 2008) of vasopressin vs norepinephrine in septic shock
- Peer-reviewed pharmacology establishing V1a vasoconstriction and V2 antidiuretic mechanisms
- Decades of established clinical use including historical central diabetes insipidus treatment
Key references
- DailyMed / FDAVasostrict (vasopressin injection) prescribing information
- New England Journal of MedicineVasopressin versus Norepinephrine Infusion in Patients with Septic Shock (VASST)
- Physiological ReviewsVasopressin V1a and V1b Receptors: From Molecules to Physiological Systems
How to read this entry
Dose references and half-life values are pulled from trial protocols, labels, reviews, or published summaries where available. They are context for research and comparison, not a personal dosing recommendation.
Status matters: approved drugs have regulated indications; investigational compounds are still being studied; research-only peptides do not have established human dosing, safety, or efficacy for consumer use.
Vasopressin guides
Read the matching guide or adjacent research pages for more context.
Peptide calculators
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